Post-Harvest Materials Guidance

(May 16, 2014) The National Organic Program (NOP) recently released for public comment a draft Post-Harvest Handling guidance document that outlines the requirements for materials used in post-harvest handling. Specifically, it explains the provisions for facility pest management and the difference between post-harvest handling of raw agricultural crops and further processing. The guidance clarifies which substances may be used, and proposes a definition for post-harvest substances.

This guidance document is intended to help certifiers, farms, processors and OMRI to understand which substances may be used to wash, sort, cool (or otherwise "handle") raw agricultural products post-harvest. More information and instructions for submitting comments are available at Regulations.gov.